Block particularly for building loose-laid retaining walls

Abstract

The block has a cambered front radiused to tapering side walls. The side walls have, in the portion radiused to the front, mutually opposite insertion-coupling members and seats for accommodating the insertion-coupling members of an adjacent block. The block furthermore has, at an upper part thereof, an abutment for engagement with a supporting element defined on a lower part at the front of an adjacent block.

I claim: 
     
       1. Block for building loose-laid retaining walls comprising; a back wall;   two tapering side walls radiused to said back wall;   a radiused portion defined by each of said tapering side walls;   a cambered front radiused to said tapering side walls and having an upper edge and a lower edge;   an accommodation seat recessed within said radiused portion of one of said tapering side walls,   insertion coupling means protruding from said radiused portion of another one of said tapering side walls and being accommodatable in an accommodation seat of an adjacent block;   a substantially rectilinear abutment extending upwardly from said block adjacent said upper edge of said cambered front and extending parallel to said back wall from said accommodation seat to said insertion coupling means, and;   arc-shaped supporting means defined in said block adjacent said lower edge of said cambered front and extending from said accommodation seat to said insertion coupling means, said arc-shaped supporting means being engageable in abutment engagement relationship with a substantially rectilinear abutment of an adjacent block.   
     
     
       2. Block according to claim 1, wherein said substantially rectilinear abutment extends from said radiused portion of one of said tapering side walls adjacent said insertion coupling means to said radiused portion of said other of said tapering side walls adjacent said accommodation seat. 
     
     
       3. Block according to claim 1, wherein said cambered front, said substantially rectilinear abutment and said arc-shaped supporting means are longer than said back wall. 
     
     
       4. Block according to claim 1, wherein said accommodation seat and said insertion coupling means extend substantially perpendicular to said substantially rectilinear abutment and said arc-shaped supporting means. 
     
     
       5. Block according to claim 1, wherein said back wall, said two tapering side walls and said cambered front define a substantially equilateral trapezoid. 
     
     
       6. Block according to claim 1, wherein said accommodation seat and said insertion coupling means each have the shape of a circular sector. 
     
     
       7. Block according to claim 1, wherein said substantially rectilinear abutment is substantially tangential to said arc-shaped supporting means. 
     
     
       8. Block for building loose-laid retaining walls comprising; a back wall;   two tapering side walls radiused to said back wall;   a radiused portion defined by each of said tapering side walls;   a cambered front radiused to said tapering side walls and having an upper edge and a lower edge;   an accommodation seat recessed within said radiused portion of one of said tapering side walls,   insertion coupling means protruding from said radiused portion of another one of said tapering side walls and being accommodatable in an accommodation seat of an adjacent block;   a substantially rectilinear abutment extending upwardly from said block adjacent said upper edge of said cambered front and extending parallel to said back wall from said accommodation seat to said insertion coupling means, and;   arc-shaped supporting means defined in said block adjacent said lower edge of said cambered front and extending from said accommodation seat to said insertion coupling means, wherein said arc-shaped supporting means are engageable in abutment engagement relationship with a substantially rectilinear abutment of an adjacent block, and wherein said substantially rectilinear abutment is substantially tangent to said arc-shaped supporting means.     
     
     
       9. Block according to claim 8, wherein said substantially rectilinear abutment extends between said radiused portion of one of said tapering side walls to said radiused portion of said other of said tapering side walls. 
     
     
       10. Block according to claim 8, wherein said cambered front, said substantially rectilinear abutment and said arc-shaped supporting means are longer than said back wall, and wherein said tapered side walls converge towards each other in a direction extending from said cambered front to said back wall. 
     
     
       11. Block according to claim 8, wherein said accommodation seat and said insertion coupling means extend across said cambered front in a direction perpendicular to said substantially rectilinear abutment and said arc-shaped supporting means. 
     
     
       12. Block according to claim 8, wherein said back wall, said two tapering side walls and said cambered front together define a substantially equilateral trapezoid. 
     
     
       13. Block according to claim 8, wherein said accommodation seat has the shape of a concave circular sector, and wherein said insertion coupling means has the shape of a convex circular sector. 
     
     
       14. Block for building loose-laid retaining walls comprising; a back wall;   two tapering side walls radiused to said back wall;   a radiused portion defined by each of said tapering side walls;   a cambered front radiused to said tapering side walls and having an upper edge and a lower edge;   a substantially equilateral trapezoid configuration defined by said back wall, said tapering side walls and said cambered front;   an accommodation seat recessed within said radiused portion of one of said tapering side walls and having the shape of a concave circular sector;   insertion coupling means protruding from said radiused portion of another one of said tapering side walls and being accommodatable in an accommodation seat of an adjacent block, said insertion coupling means having the shape of a convex circular sector;   a substantially rectilinear abutment protruding upwardly from said block adjacent said upper edge of said cambered front and extending parallel to said back wall from said radiused portion of one of said tapering side walls adjacent said insertion coupling means to said radiused portion of said other of said tapering side walls adjacent said accommodation seat and;   arc-shaped supporting means defined in said block adjacent said lower edge of said cambered front and extending from said accommodation seat to said insertion coupling means, wherein said cambered front, said substantially rectilinear abutment and said arc-shaped supporting means are longer than said back wall, said tapered side walls converging towards each other in a direction extending from said cambered front to said back wall, said accommodation seat and said insertion coupling means extending across said cambered front in a direction perpendicular to said substantially rectilinear abutment and said arc-shaped supporting means, and wherein said arc-shaped supporting means being engageable in abutment engagement relationship with a substantially rectilinear abutment of an adjacent block, said substantially rectilinear abutment being substantially tangent to said arc-shaped supporting means.